Full automatic strapping packing machines are employed in workshops wherein a large number of items must be strapped within a given period of time, for example, newspaper shipping sites.
Even in the use of such full automatic strapping packing machines, the band reels must be replaced when they become empty. This replacement is generally conducted by manual work, so that the workload has caused a lowering of packing efficiency.
Thus, in recent years, strapping packing machines equipped with a spare band reel have been proposed, which include, for example, packing machine proposed by the applicant, disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration Application No. 6(1994)-69105 and shown in FIG. 10.
Referring to FIG. 10, the strapping packing machine is equipped with two band reels 51,52. When one of them becomes empty, guide means 53 is horizontally slid to thereby enable feeding of a band from the other band reel.
Although this strapping packing machine enables rapidly replacing a band reel with a spare band reel, the strapping packing machine must be equipped with two guide rollers 55,56 and two band feeding means 57,58. As a result, the number of parts constituting the strapping packing machine is increased, and, further, a space for permitting the sliding of the guide means 53 must be provided.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an automatic band changing device for use in a strapping packing machine, which enables rapidly replacing an empty band reel with a spare band reel and which has a simple structure and realizes a decreased number of constituent parts to thereby contribute to miniaturization of the strapping packing machine.